Not a Total Waste

So, I met this guy Tony. He's a really great guy and we really hit it off. (Not bad tot look at either, I might add). We got to the point where we were talking about every day and emailing eachother even more.
We finally went out on an actual date the day after Christmas and it was a DISASTER! Not really sure who to blame for that, I think it was really just circumstances.
The first problem was we met at a mall... the day after Christmas. Not only did it take no less than 30 minutes to find parking but it was so incredibly packed it was hard to move.
Second problem: We ate at the Rainforest Cafe. It's not a bad place, it is just very distracting and, therefore, not good for a first date because you felt like you were in competition with your environment. There were also many kids around who go excited every time there was a tropical storm, the elephant sounded, or the gorilla screamed. Any one of these three happened every 3-5 minutes and sometimes all at once. Honestly, I think he thought I wanted to go there because I said I had never been there. I also thought he wanted to go there because he made a point of telling me, as soon as I arrived, that the mall had a Rainforest Cafe.
Third problem:We shopped for a birthday present for his mom! Maybe he didn't know what else to do. Maybe, being a guy, he was trying to make the most out of being in the mall. Maybe he just wanted some help. I've never met his mom so I do not know what she likes so I was not too much help.
Fourth problem: I was still grieving my grandfather. I had just spent my first Christmas without Grandpop and had just burried him days before. I was not my usually "chipper" self.
Fifth problem: MS. I have been becoming extemely exhausted after even light activity. I became so fatigued I did not even have energy to speak let alone walk around a crowded mall.

Well, the date ended and he just said "Don't be a stranger." Now what does that mean? He emailed me 4 or 5days later saying he had a good time and I responded but I did not get a response back. Then, out of nowhere, he called me Wednesday night while I was at Ulta with my sister. He even sounded shocked that I was surprised he called. I talked to him for a while but then needed to go because Jamie and I were on our way to see a friend of ours. Plus, it was sister time. He asked me to call him the next day so I did but he wasn't around so I left a message and he has not called me back yet. I do not get men.

The date was not a total waste though. I did find a really great pair of jeans at Banana Republic for $25!!! Did you catch that? A pair of jeans at BANANA REPUBLIC for $25 and they are even a size that I have not fit into since I was 12!

By the way, if anyone wants to give me a little insight into the male mind I would appreciate it. Honestly, I am not expecting anything to come of my relationship with Tony but I would like to understand a little better what he is thinking. Jamie suggested that maybe I gave him signals that I was not interested. Perhaps my fatigue and mourning might have done that. I think there was just a lot of miscommunication.